Aside from the function of a seat or bench in a motor vehicle as a seating opportunity, these elements frequently also fulfill other functions. For example, a rear bench can generally be folded down so that the trunk space of a motor vehicle can be enlarged. Aside from the simple possibility of folding them down, more complex functions can also be integrated into a seat or a bench.
For example, DE 37 05 059 A1 discloses a motor vehicle seat having a backrest that can be folded forward onto the seat part, where a plate-shaped wall part is mounted on the rear side, in the upper region of the backrest, so as to pivot, on which part a further plate-shaped wall part is held so as to pivot about a pivot axis that is parallel to that. The two wall parts can be folded against the rear of the backrest, folded against one another, and then form a hard, flat shelf surface for luggage when the backrest s folded forward. Furthermore, the two wall parts, together, can be folded up into an upright position, relative to the folded-down backrest, and fixed in place in such manner that a container for luggage that is open toward the top is formed, which container can furthermore be dosed if the second wall part is pivoted away from the first wall part and locked by means of the locking device of the backrest, where the second wall part forms the container lid.
Furthermore, DE 10 2004 009 699 B4 discloses a device for expanding the trunk space of a motor vehicle having a rear seat that has a seat part and a backrest part, which can be moved between a backrest part. use position and a backrest part loading position. A normal trunk space is disposed behind the rear seat, which space preferably has a trunk bottom that preferably reaches all the way to the rear seat and is composed of at least one trunk bottom base plate and at least one trunk bottom expansion plate. The trunk bottom expansion plate can be disposed in an expansion plate rest position in the backrest use position, in the region of the trunk bottom base plate, and can be disposed, in the backrest part loading position, in front of the trunk bottom base plate, covering the seat part at least in certain regions, for an expansion of the trunk bottom, an expansion plate expansion position. In this connection, the backrest part can be pivoted about a backrest part pivot axis that runs in the transverse vehicle direction, between a backrest part use position and the backrest part loading position. The backrest part pivot axis is disposed on an upper end region of the backrest part, seen in the vertical vehicle position, when the backrest part is in the backrest part use position.
Another solution for creating luggage space is finally indicated in DE 10 2006 022 424 A1, which discloses a roller blind for use in the region of a front-seat passenger seat of a motor vehicle, where the front-seat passenger seat has a seat part and a backrest, and the roller blind has a roll-up shaft and a planar structure disposed between a holding device for the roller blind and the roll-up shaft, and the planar structure can be unrolled from the roll-up shaft counter to a spring force. The roll-up shaft is mounted in the region of the front-seat passenger seat, in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle, in the dashboard of the motor vehicle, and the holding device can be connected with the front-seat passenger seat. In this connection, it is provided that the front-seat passenger seat has at least one accommodation for connecting the holding device and the accommodation, in the region of the seat part. In the case of such an embodiment, the leg room of the front-seat passenger seat can be securely covered, so that luggage situated there or small animals situated there are secured.
It is a disadvantage of the known solutions that they are adapted to the habits of the users of motor vehicles only in limited manner. This is because frequently, these users place objects on the seat surface of seats and benches, as long as no persons are sitting on them. However, the solutions disclosed in the state of the art do not make it possible to conveniently protect objects that have been placed on the seats in this way from curious glances and access.